Parker helps Spurs easily eclipse Suns

He scores 29 in decisive win

By Associated Press | December 29, 2004

The Phoenix Suns weren't as good as their record indicated.

Tony Parker scored a season-high 29 points in just 30 minutes, and host San Antonio shot 52 percent in a 115-94 victory that ended Phoenix's 11-game winning streak and amplified the ongoing chatter over just how good the Suns really are.

"They just kicked our butts," said Suns point guard Steve Nash, who scored all 12 of his points in the first quarter.

"Maybe that's good for this team, to face a tough challenge like this . . . we can make this a turning point in our season. We can learn that we are not a finished product."

Phoenix's full-throttle offense, the league's most productive at nearly 110 points per game, was ground to a near-halt by the Spurs' defense, which is the NBA's stingiest, giving up an average of 85 points per game.

The Suns, with an NBA-best 24-4 record, didn't break 20 points in the second and third quarters, and trailed at one point by 31.

"Everybody understood that defense is what was going to do it for us," said the Spurs' Bruce Bowen.

"We know they can score points, but let's see what they can do against hands being in their face on contested shots."

San Antonio fell just 1 point shy of its highest point total of the season and held the Suns to just 1 point more than their season-low.

The Spurs' Tim Duncan had 16 points and 12 rebounds and matched his season high with 6 assists. Malik Rose had 16 points and Manu Ginobili 13 for the Spurs, who limited Phoenix to 39.7 percent shooting.

Amare Stoudemire scored 37 points for the Suns.

Lakers 117, Raptors 99 -- Kobe Bryant scored 48 points in 46 minutes after spraining his left shoulder in the opening period, and host Los Angeles enjoyed its highest-scoring game of the season. The Lakers, coming off an emotionally-draining 104-102 overtime loss to Miami on Christmas Day, beat Toronto for the sixth straight time. They were 13 for 25 from 3-point range.

Rafer Alston led Toronot with 13 points.

Cavaliers 111, Hawks 102 -- LeBron James had 40 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists to help visiting Cleveland defeat Atlanta for its third victory in four games. Jeff McInnis and Zydrunas Ilgauskas each scored 20 points for Cleveland, which won its fifth straight against the struggling Hawks.

James, who entered with a 24.6 scoring average, fifth in the NBA, finished 3 points shy of his career high. He went over 30 points for the seventh time this season.

Bucks 115, Rockets 87 -- Michael Redd scored 28 points and Desmond Mason added 24 to lead host Milwaukee over Houston. Marcus Fizer added 15 points and seven rebounds for Milwaukee, which won consecutive games for just the second time this season. Since starting 3-1, the Bucks are 5-15.

Nets 84, Bulls 80 -- Vince Carter scored 25 points to lead visiting New Jersey in his second game since he was traded to the Nets. Richard Jefferson and Nenad Krstic had 17 points apiece for the Nets. Kirk Hinrich had 30 points for Chicago and Ben Gordon 19.